A POLICEWOMAN accused of cheating an insurance firm told a court that she crashed her car after her lesbian lover taunted her by claiming she had kissed a man.

Charlotte Eccles said the crash happened during one of a string of arguments with her former girlfriend, Diane Reeves-Emery, also a policewoman.

It is alleged that Reeves-Emery, 38, and Eccles, 23, tried to save about £250 by lying about who was at the wheel of the Renault Clio when it crashed.

The alleged scam only emerged when Reeves-Emery was later accused of carrying out a hate campaign against Eccles after they broke up.

She was being investigated by police over claims that she had targeted her former lover with scores of abusive texts over a 14-month period.

Stafford Crown Court heard how Eccles was being interviewed by police about the allegations when she broke down and revealed the alleged fraud.

She told officers she fell for Reeves-Emery while working as a special constable in Swadlincote.

The couple shared a home together and Eccles told a jury yesterday she went along with Reeves-Emery's scam because she was "too scared" of what might happen to her if she didn't.

Eccles said she knew that by revealing what had happened she was putting both their careers at risk but said that continuing to lie "went against the grain".

The jury heard they rowed after Reeves-Emery told Eccles she had shared a passionate kiss with a male colleague in the Derbyshire force.

The pair went out in the car to talk but the exchange developed into a heated row.

Eccles said she must have lost control of the car and ran into a kerb, causing £6,000 worth of damage.

After the crash, in April 2006, Eccles claimed she was hysterical and did not know what to do about the car, but Reeves-Emery told her that she "would sort things out".

Because of her age and relative lack of experience on the roads, Eccles would have had to pay a £500 excess.

But Reeves-Emery would have had to pay just £250, so to save money the prosecution claims they lied about who had been at the wheel.

After the crash the couple reconciled and married in a civil ceremony, but later split up.

Reeves-Emery, of Burton, and Eccles, of Swadlincote, deny obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

Reeves-Emery faces another deception charge after allegedly giving false information to a second insurance firm within days of the accident.

The trial continues.